Page 80 of Embedded
I got to my feet and immediately looked for Nicole. She lay on the ground, not moving. Shit! “Nicole,” I forced myself to be calm as I bent and felt her pulse. He must have knocked the wind out of her, and she’d fainted. Normally, if it was one of the guys, I’d slap them to draw them back to the land of the living, but I couldn’t bring myself to be rough with her. Instead, I pressed my thumb down on the side of her hip, which I knew would bring her a dull pain that would increase with each second. When she suddenly jolted awake, I covered her mouth and released my hold. When I removed my hand, she pulled her chin in and rubbed where I’d hurt her.
“Ouch!” She looked angrily at me as I pulled her to her feet, then she dipped to the side as vertigo came over her, and I pulled her into me and hugged her.
“Let me give the orders next time,” I warned. She nodded then huffed a small sob. “There isn’t much farther to go, so hang in there with me, okay? You’re doing great.” She didn’t answer, and when I handed her my jacket, she didn’t take it. I took her face in my hands and studied her. I could see she was struggling and wondered if that trick she’d pulled back there had drained her. I forced her arms through the sleeves and wrapped the jacket around her small body. “We’re going to be okay. We’re almost through this. No more playing the hero, you hear?” I grinned at her in hopes she’d show some of that spunk she had. “Okay, let’s get out of here.” I was happy to see her nod and tucked her behind me again.
We moved in unison again. A few times we stopped to let her catch a breath or when we came across more soldiers. They were everywhere. Bruno had activated his entire army to hunt for her, and navigating through such difficult terrain was taking a toll on Nicole. At least the rain had stopped. I knew this place was going to be next to impossible to escape, and it was why my stomach sank when I knew she was being held here. Bruno had the place locked down hard. The only reason we’d made it this far was because his focus had been on the arrival of his mother. That, and they weren’t expecting me to be so close by.
I glanced at the compass on my watch to make sure I kept on course. I picked up the pace and stopped when I finally saw the dirt road. I knew they’d have men watching, so we stayed in the tree line. I got out my binoculars and scanned along the rough woodland road for Chili’s truck. I spotted it just out of sight in the trees.
“I have visual on you.” I kept my voice low and crisp into the radio. “We’ll be at your nine. Start moving now, but slow.”
“Copy that.” I watched him pull out of the trees then reach back and open the door behind him.
I lowered the binoculars then turned to meet Nicole’s pale face. Her jaw bounced and her lips were blue with cold. She was near exhaustion. “Chili’s not far away with the truck.” She nodded and looked around as if she could spot it. “He’s our ride out of here. We’ll go a little farther staying in these trees, then you see that clearing up there?” I pointed. “We just need to get across that to the road. I don’t see any soldiers, but they’re around.”
“Okay,” she said and nodded again.
“I’m going to go first, then once I get across, if it’s safe, and Chili’s close, I’ll wave you over. I’ll cover you, but you need to run straight to the truck as fast as you can. Do you understand me?” She nodded. “I need to hear you say it.”
“I do.”
“Good.” I turned and hurried her along then stopped next to a tree. I saw the truck slowly approaching. “Okay, are you ready?”
“Yes.” Her head bobbed.
I raced across the clearing, hoping to draw any fire. I stopped on the other side and looked back at Nicole. My heart lurched, and all the wind went out of me.
Rio, Esmeralda’s right-hand man, stood with Nicole in his arms and a knife to her neck.
“No.” The word dropped from my mouth as the realization hit hard that I might not be able to save her from this. Who knew fear could feel this heavy?
I walked slowly back across the clearing until I was just a few feet from them. I heard the truck stop behind me.
“Well, isn’t this perfect?” He chuckled.
“Rio,” I used his name to show I knew exactly who he was, “do you know who I am?”
He stared at me and tilted his head. I could see him try to connect the dots.
“Think,” I said as I stepped closer, and he stepped backward. “I’m Blackstone. I’m the one you guys want, not her. Take me and let her go with Chili.”
“Why do I know you?” He was so close to saying it. I knew it was a risk to potentially out myself to Nicole as Eric Noah, but at that moment, I knew I would rather have her alive and know it than face the death that was only moments away.
“I’ll tell you when you give me the girl.” I reached towards him as I made eye contact with Nicole. She looked done. Worse, she looked resigned. “Nic,” I used her nickname in hopes I could get through to her, “Chase needs you to keep your head on straight.” She blinked, and I saw a tear leak down her cheek. Good.
“Don’t come any closer.” Rio shifted his hold on her, and I knew I needed to let him know who I was. I changed my accent to reflect Eric’s and went with a saying I hoped he’d recognize. I had used it before when portraying my alter ego. “In a world of illusions, you stay alive by being honest?—”
His eyes widened. “You stay alive by being one step ahead of the liars.” I locked eyes with him and gave him a small tilt of the head. “Holy shit, you’re—” Bang! I shot him straight in the shoulder before he could say it. His grip on Nicole went slack. I lunged forward and caught her then scooped her up and raced for the truck. I tossed her in the back seat and jumped in next to her.
“Go! Go! Go!” I shouted at Chili, and he took off so hard we flew backward.
I wished I’d killed Rio, and I should have, but she had seen the dark side of me back there. When I flipped between two head spaces. Killing as Paul was one thing, but killing as Eric Noah was something I never wanted her to witness.
I reached over and buckled Nicole’s seatbelt. The way she reached for my hand made me breathe a sigh of relief that she hadn’t understood what had happened back there. I pulled out my handgun and scanned through the back window for company. I was sure the gunshot would have them running like cockroaches toward the sound. The engine screamed as we bounced around, and I wondered how Chili could even follow the old road. We took a good beating from branches and shrubs that had overgrown it. Nicole leaned forward, covered her head, and stayed down. Whether she realized it or not, her training was still there protecting her. We swung out onto the main road, and things grew quiet. There wasn’t a car in sight. It concerned me that there wasn’t even a roadblock or anyone waiting for us.
“Clear.” I squinted as I looked around, then finally took a deep breath. Nicole was still huddled over. “Hey,” I touched her arm, and she yelped. “It’s me.” She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself and leaned her head back. Her eyes were closed.
Chili caught my attention in the mirror, and I shrugged. She was beyond exhausted, and I let her be.
